Documenting a Day

Comparison of Applications

A word processor creates formatted text (Vahid & Lysecky, 2019). Different word processors are available, such as Microsoft Word, Pages, Google Docs, etc. These programs allow you to create text documents with formatting. A spreadsheet processor like Microsoft Excel, Numbers, or Google Docs Spreadsheets will enable you to enter data into tables. These tables can then be formatted with formulas to calculate data, analyze data, or create charts using that data ((Vahid & Lysecky, 2019). Presentation applications like Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Keynote are used to create slideshows that include text, images, and videos. These slides can also have animation to make the presentation more appealing. Presentation software is typically used when a user needs to present information to an audience which can help them visualize it. Database applications like Microsoft Access or MySQL are systems that create, maintain, and access databases (Vahid & Lysecky, 2019). These databases are most commonly used by businesses that allow them to keep important data. They can also create reports from the data.

Advantages and Disadvantages

There are always advantages and disadvantages to everything we use, want or need. For word processing programs, the advantages are typing up a document and making corrections or modifications quickly and easily, including adding graphics. You can also save multiple versions of your documents in different formats. One of the best features is being able to spell check and grammar check your documents quickly. Another great feature is utilizing mail merge, which allows you to import a spreadsheet containing mailing information and then print out labels or envelopes with their mailing addresses. One disadvantage of word processing programs is that your data could be lost due to data corruption or your computer being broken or stolen. Another disadvantage is not being able to use symbols for specific languages easily. Some programs will not allow you to open these documents without the proper word-processing software. 

Regarding spreadsheet software programs, the advantage of using these is being able to capture data into tables, which can then be used to create instant calculations of that data. You can easily update and manipulate this data to meet your needs. You can also easily integrate data from other programs to capture necessary data. The data captured in the spreadsheets can also be used to create a variety of graphs and charts to present your data in a more visually appealing way. There are so many formulas available that the calculation possibilities are endless. 

 A major disadvantage is that the formulas are not easy to learn, so it will take time to learn them. Manually entering data into spreadsheets can be time-consuming and lead to errors.

An advantage to presentation programs is that a user can easily create visually eye-catching presentations. Graphics, videos, themes, and many other tools can be applied to enhance each presentation. Some disadvantages are that someone can use it to present excessive information; if you have to make edits to various slides, each slide will need to be updated individually instead of one change for all. 

Database applications such as Microsoft Access are not primarily used daily but more commonly used by a business or organization to keep records or track data. Database programs organize data and enable efficient information retrieval (Vahid & Lysecky, 2019, para 5.4). The disadvantages are that it can be complex, and some DBMS programs can be expensive.

Some advantages of all of these programs are that they can be shared with others, and you can update the same documents/spreadsheet/presentation simultaneously. One advantage is that now most software programs have created mobile applications that you can access on your phone or tablet, although it might be limited compared to the full version on a computer. One major disadvantage they all share is that there is always a security risk if shared with the wrong person or if your computer is compromised. Another disadvantage is that they require a computer or a device to access these software programs.

Application recommendation

    The most appropriate application software for documenting my day was the word processing software Microsoft Word. This program was intended to capture text documents and, in this case, a journal entry. This allowed me to detail my day in a detailed, easy-to-read, and presentable format. If I needed to present my day to an audience, then using the presentation software Microsoft PowerPoint would be more appropriate. I do not think using spreadsheets was the least beneficial for documenting my day.

Scenario for Application Use

Let’s say that I am looking for a new job, but I have not updated my resume in years. Before I can apply anywhere, I need to create a new resume because my previous resume is outdated and not appealing. I would use a word processing program to create a document that includes formatted text (Vahid & Lysecky, 2019, para 5.1). This will allow my resume to have various text sizing, bullets, bold text, and paragraph formatting. After submitting my resume to multiple companies, I began a new job and now have to enter data from a stack of invoices into a spreadsheet that includes formulas to calculate the SUM and average of various cells and a graph. (Vahid & Lysecky, 2019, para 5.2). After completing my spreadsheet, I’m told I will have to present this financial data to our leadership team during our next team meeting. I will then utilize a presentation program, like Microsoft PowerPoint, to select my theme and transitions and add graphics from my Excel spreadsheet. (Vahid & Lysecky, 2019, para 5.3). After my presentation, my leadership team now wants me to create a database to track and run reports from invoices, orders, and customers. I will utilize our database software program to create this new database.